Something Missing
by Phayte
Summary: AU: Lina's a punk girl out to have fun, no matter what the cost, well, maybe...
1. Nothing Missing, Yet Found Again

Nothing Missing, Yet Found Again  
  
~These Walls [Trapt]  
  
Something missing / Left behind / Search in circles / Every time I try / I've been here before / I've seen you before / I can't escape walking through these halls / Hard to find a place where there are no walls / And no lines begging me to cross / Only straight ahead better move along / Like Clockwork / I commit the crime / I pretend to be / everything they like / I've been here before / I've seen you before / And I trade everything for this / And I trade everything for this / Why do I read the writing on the wall / Why do I read the writing on the wall / I won't lose my place in line / I've been here too long and I've spent to much time / I won't lose my place in line / I've been here too long and I've spent too much time ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "WOOOHOOO! I wanna piece of this wind! Faster Xellos!" Lina inverse pulled herself out so she was sitting in the window space of the red hummer as it flew down the boulevard past houses and streets without caution.  
  
"If you get killed girl, it's not my fault!" Xellos yelled back at her as he sped the hummer up, causing the passenger on his right to tighten his grip on the dashboard, whitening his knuckles if that were anymore possible.  
  
"Why am I forced to ride home with you people, you're gonna get into a wreck someday." Zelgadiss growled.  
  
"Oh come on Zel-bunny! This is fun, you gota learn to live a little!"  
  
"Didn't I tell you to stop calling me that????" Zel's face went visibly red.  
  
"Awe cummon dear brother, my girl's called ya that sincee you wore that bunny costume for Halloween." Xellos grinned curtly at Zelgadiss. He reached his left hand back expecting Lina to offer hers. However, she simply swatted it, causing Xellos to snach it back and suck on his index finger, which was growing rapidly red.  
  
"WHEN I WAS FIVE! And even then I regretted that degrading action."  
  
"You're GIRL? Come on Xellos! I thought we were goin together! She's nothing but a flat chested-"  
  
"Shut up Naga!"  
  
The two girls in the back seat traded insults and just all around argued until Xellos had to interject, "Come on, I'm tryin to concentrate on drivin!"  
  
"Yeah right," Naga mock-scowled at him, "You're just too busy lookin in the rear view at the rear view of your giiiiirrrrrrl! Pervert" She promptly threw a piece of garbage, which had currently taken up residence in the back of car, up at the driver. Even Zelgadiss felt compelled to laugh.  
  
Lina simply sat in the window and looked up at the clear, starry sky as they zoomed down the road as if in a sort of race. The wind whipped it's way through her long, fire-bright, crimson hair. Lina sighed, she liked nothing better than this feeling, as if she were flying. That's perhaps why she hung out with this group of people, they were so much more carefree than her elder sister's By only a year, she reminded herself, were. It made her cringe whenever she thought about the times Luna had caught Lina on one of her late night excusions with her friends, speeding down the highway going to, or coming from, some club. Some nights, they came home drunk, and that's when she REALLY got it from Luna. It always got worse, if it could, when she'd found that Xellos, who frequently drove, was rather intoxicated too. He tended to follow Lina home, and once mistook Luna for Lina one night and fell asleep in her bed, attempting to make out with her the next morning. They both recieved quite the bashing and a long lecture about how they were ruining their lives and that someday they could wind up dead, or worse, pregnant. *Sigh* Luna simply just doesn't know how to live, she's so stressed out, wonder how she has fun...  
  
Lina was rapidly brought out of her thoughts as she caught site of a raspberry blue Dodge Prowler a few hundred feet from them, pulling out from an almost-invisible street in the night.  
  
"Xellos stop!!!" Screams belted their way from the girls mouths and Zel dove on the floor, covering his head with his head. Lina gripped as hard as she could to the frame of the hummer to prevent herself from careening out of the car as it skidded sideways and came to a stop with her door facing that of the driver's side door of the Dodge.  
  
"L..Lina?"  
  
Slowly but surely gaining feeling back into her whole body, numb from shock, Lina crained her head over to look into the window. Confusion etched her features as she tried to figure out just who this person was in the car and how he knew her name. He looked as though he'd be tall if he stood to his full height. The man had broad shoulders and a muscular frame, his hair was a long, soft, golden color and his eyes twinkled like a crystal blue ocean in the summer time. She knew him from somewhere.  
  
"Lina are you ok, please say yes." There was a deffinite scare in Xellos's voice.  
  
Certainly never heard him sound like that, must've scared him crapless. "Yeah Xel, I'm just peachy." She replied, panting somewhat, trying to get over the shock of her near death experience. She quickly dispelled the thoughts as the driver of the other car opened the door slightly and stepped out, and proceeded to help Lina out of the hummer.  
  
"You should NEVER ride like that, you could've gone flying outta there!" The concern in his eyes glared down at her with a force that weakened her knees. "And you, Mr. Xel, or whatever, you shouldn't have even thought of putting this young woman in a situation like that. I'm surprised you haven't been pulled over, such wreckless driving could've harmed everyone in that car of yours, or worse!"  
  
"Yeah, wrecked that beautiful car over there." Naga said gesturing to the car the blonde-haired stranger emerged from.  
  
Something about that protective voice coming from the stranger reminded Lina of someone she knew, cared for deeply, in the past. "G-Gourry Gabriev????"  
  
Gourry smiled down at Lina, "I was hoping you'd remember me."  
  
Lina's mood suddenly brightened, forgetting everyone in the hummer, she threw her arms around him, then proceeded to mock punch him, "You're such a jellyfish-brained dope! How could you remember me when you can't even remember what you ate for breakfast!"  
  
Gourry winced as the play shots soon became painful, it didn't take much, although she was relatively tiny, Lina Inverse knew how to hurt, even inadvertantly. "Yeah well....Hey, lemme take you home, you'd best get some rest after that..." He regarded Xellos with a rather intense scowl.  
  
Lina suddenly caught a glance around Gourry, someone sat in the backseat of Gourry's car, with a look that could kill the strongest of beings. Lina's face fell, "Uh, I think I'll just get Xellos to take me."  
  
"Huh" Gourry seemed confused, how could she want him to take her home when he was the reason she was almost killed?  
  
"Ya see," Lina didn't take her eyes off the person in the back seat of the blue car, "I only have a chance to die with Xellos, in there, with that person, I WILL die."  
  
"But Lina, that's your-"  
  
"I know, I"ll see you areound Gourry." She crawled back into the hummer and it sped off down the road, music blaring.  
  
Gourry smiled as he heard the last piece of nervous conversation between Lina and the girl who sat next to her in that car.  
  
"He's cute! Is he single?"  
  
"No." *** A/N: hey, u like? hope so, this is an a/u just in case ya haven't figured that from the top and the description. reviews are always welcome!  
  
**don't own any characters from slayers, and don't own the songs from trapt. you all should listen, they're really good, unless u don't like them... 


	2. Gone, But Not Lost, Omnipresent

Gone, But Not Lost, Omnipresent  
  
~Stories [Trapt] I found a line and then it grew / I found myself still thinking of you / I felt so empty and now I'm fine / But it's still burning when will you be mine // Too much of the same stories in our lives / I think it's time to change, don't you? / (I think it's time for us to walk away from here) / Stories in our lives, we keep them all inside // Now look at me still in your mind / Our memories so intertwined / Well you broke through and found your way / And so did I no need to stay // Do you remember lying on the beach so late at night / Do you remember running through the sprinklers that night / Do you remember all the songs that I have wrote for you / I remember the way you made me feel when I was with you / That look in your eyes I never thought that this would be untrue ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "DON'T THE WORDS SPEED LIMIT MEAN ANYTHING?? WHAT ON THIS GREAT GREEN EARTH DO YOU THINK YOU WERE DOING??? HANGING OUT OF THAT WINDOW, GOING AT A SPEED LIKE THAT! YOU COULD'VE BEEN KILLED, YOU'RE AN INSOLENT, STUPID, BRAINLESS..."  
  
Lina menatally ticked off all the insults and lectures her sister was giving her. Normally, and at once, this would scare the crap out of Lina, seeing her sister going off like this, brutal pain was to follow as Luna Inverse attempted to beat her meaning into Lina's head. Yup, she knew this pain quite well, and was rather used to it. Her parents, being the entreprenuers they were, were always off, scouting some new thing to make a profit off of, therefore, leaving Luna home to discipline her sister.  
  
However, something was different tonight, tonight, mother was home.  
  
Luna nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt a soft hand rest upon her shoulder. She whirled around to see a small woman with lavendar hair cascading down to her ankles smiling at her with crystaline violet eyes. It was relatively obvious Luna took after her mother. "Now dear, screaming will only make your lovly voice hoarse. Lina dear, go to your room, we'll talk later ok?"  
  
Momentarily shocked at her mother's appearance, Lina bowed deeply, "Domo arigato Mommy!!" And with that, she smiled at a completely shocked Luna and raced up the stairs to the second floor of the three story house and into her room, slamming the door and making sure to make as much noise as possibly while jumping up and down on her bed, relieved to be free of the nightly beating. Lina was exstatic about finally being able to sleep without a headache.  
  
"MOTHER!!" Luna shrieked, causing her mother to wince, "H-how could you just do that, I'm sure you've been informed of what happened tonight!"  
  
"Yes dear, I'm quite aware, and believe me, quite upset as well. But you must learn dear, that those who do not wish to be taught will not be unless someone touches them in a way that they wish to learn."  
  
Luna stood, confoundedly confused in her blind rage at her younger sister's antics, "Wha?"  
  
This caused a giggle from her mother, "You see dear child, you yell and scream, and, *ahem* beat... on your sister, however, she still proceeds to defy everyone's wishes. This, she believes, is her life, out there, having fun..."  
  
"But she could've been killed!! How is that having fun?"  
  
"The thrill. Come now Luna, tell me straight to my face, you haven't done things just to experience the rush that comes along with doing them." Luna looked down ashamedly, "You see, Lina's not going to change because you want her too, not this way at least. You see, I am aware of another thing, Sire Gourry has returned has he not? I believe your sister held a soft spot for him once. "  
  
"Yes mother, but what are we going to do about Lina?"  
  
"That, my child, is why I'm here, I will simply state that Lina will spend the carnival with Mr. Gourry, if he accepts of course."  
  
"He's still single?"  
  
"Far as I know."  
  
"Mother, you hold the wisdom of ages." Luna beemed proudly at her mother.  
  
She giggled, "Someday I hope to pass it onto one of you."  
  
The two shared tea and laughter until Luna retired for the night. *** Lina tossed a yellow teddy bear up in the air and caught it, repeating the action many times before she began speaking aloud to herself. "He's back, boy, I guess I've missed him more than I thought I would. But he was such a dope when he left, looks like he hasn't gotten any smarter. I feel so bad for him, he's gonna get so hounded by everyone once he sets foot in school. OOO, that Naga better keep her hands off him, or I'll....I'll...I'll wonder why I'm thinkin like this! I mean, Xellos, I think we're goin out, not that he'd ever admit it, although he has tried some interesting things on me." Lina laughed at the memory of seeing Xellos and her sister, sleeping in Luna's bed, "They looked so cute together. But anyway, seeing Gourry again, he sure has grown up, looks, well, hot now. Yup, still a doof though, probably wouldn't have it any other way though.  
  
Lina sighed and looked at the teddy bear in her arms, memories creeping back to her,  
  
"Here Lina, I won ya this! Isn't it cute? Hey, what's wrong, you're cryin, wow Lina, I've never seen you do that before."  
  
"You doof, don't you remember you're leaving? I'm just, gonna miss you"  
  
"Well, uh, here, you can have this little yellow teddy for a parting gift, so you'll never forget me."  
  
"You won't be going away forever right? I mean, you'll come back?"  
  
"I......think so why?"  
  
Lina promptly dealt the blonde a blow to the head with the teddy bear, "Cuz I'm gonna miss you and I want you to come back soon as you can, you dope!"  
  
"Ooh, ok, well, I'll miss you to."  
  
"I hated seeming so...weak, but I really did miss him. Somehow, that jellyfish found a way to my heart I guess I really do like him."  
  
"So do I." Lina's mother stepped into the doorway, scaring Lina from her thoughts.  
  
"MOM!"  
  
"Sorry dear, but I've come with news I think you should hear."  
  
"Did Luna blow up from all that anger pent up inside?"  
  
"No, sadly, not," she said smiling at her daughter, "I want you to start spending less time with Xellos and his, for lack of a better word, gang."  
  
"Not you too mother..."  
  
"Now listen, I do this to protect you dear, plus, what with your childhood friend coming over, I think it best if you two, hook up again."  
  
"But mom, he's probably got a girlfriend."  
  
"Fars I know, he's still single. Come on, you were just thinking about him! Tell me about what you think."  
  
"Well he's, uh, protective. You should'a seen him ealier mom, he was like....like...ugh, I can't explain it but there's something there that I thought was gone a long time ago! In fact, I didn't even know it was there to begin with, it's just, what's goin on?"  
  
"Sleep now, think later. And no more joyrides understood, I was really worried today!" Lina winceed at her mother's scowl, it was like Luna's and it didn't seem right on her, perhaps that's what made it all the more scary. She nodded in compliance and lay down on her bed, cuddling beneath the covers.  
  
"Oh, and Lina, you'll be taking Gourry to the festivals next week."  
  
To tired to object to anything, Lina simply waved her off. *** A/N: hey, u like? hope so, this is an a/u just in case ya haven't figured that from the top and the description. reviews are always welcome!  
  
**don't own any characters from slayers, and don't own the songs from trapt. you all should listen, they're really good, unless u don't like them... 


	3. Gaining Holds, Losing Grip

Gaining Holds, Losing Grip ~Made of Glass [Trapt] I don't know anything at all and I'm somebody else / It could take years to find you, it could years to find myself / And I don't need to hear your answer I just need you to see / That I think it's time to break down these walls that we throw // Am I still breathing have I lost that feeling / Am I made of glass 'cause you see right through me / I don't know who I am and you're the only one who sees that / I can't ask these questions that cannot be answered today / And even if everything goes wrong and we start to fall apart / I will understand where you are, I will understand this by myself /And I don't need to hear your answer I just need you to feel / Like there are no boundaries at all // And how far have we come, too far to throw away the past / Will you be there waiting for me / I have to ask what we are, if I ask today it just won't last/ So I'll be here waiting for you // Will we ever feel this good again - Not today // Will we ever feel this real  
  
again - Not today // Will you ever be mine again - Not today // Will we ever feel this real again - Not today ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Gourry dear, are you suire it's safe to uh, 'hang out' with her kind of crowd?"  
  
"Well, I'm not really sure about hangin out with her friends, but wow Slphiel, she's so different, but, it's like she hasn't changed! Lina's still so tiny, but she must've grown a little bit cuz-"  
  
"Uh, Gourry-dear, hasn't she, I mean, her personatlity changed? Isn't she more....hostile? Those kind of people usually are."  
  
"Sylphiel, it's not like you to talk like this. Is something wrong?"  
  
"Oh Gourry, I jsut don't want you to get hurt!."  
  
"Ah, ya shouldn't worry bout me, and trust Lina, she's really sweet at heart, I think. Besides, her mom asked me to take her to the festival thing, so I think it'd just be us."  
  
"That's what I'm afraid of." Slyphiel muttered to herself, she cared deeply for Gourry, no question about it. She didn't like Lina in so many ways, mostly about what kind of person Lina had become sincec Gourry had left, but, Gourry and Lina were just friends right?' ~*~*~ "Awe, but Lina, we were supposed to go together, now we can't have fun!" Xellos held her from behind around the waist, resting his head atop hers.  
  
"Hey, ,she can just ditch him! Ohohohoho, you guys are really a gas, can't believe you couldn't think of that." Naga laughed at her friend's obvious stupidity.  
  
Lina winced as the gut-wrenching laugh stung her ears, "I can't just leave him, he's on of my best friends."  
  
"But we're your friends now Lina-chan, and besides, just look how much you've changed, how do you know he hasn't become some kinda goody-two-shoes who hates what you've become, are you ready for that kind of rejection my dear?" Xellos began to rock back and forth, kissing Lina's neck while pulling her closer to him.  
  
Lina could feel his arousal, his heat against her, "Hey Xellos quit it will ya!" She tried to wriggle out of his grasp, only to be turned around as he continued kissing her on her face, lips, and neck, not caring who was around. She was so impossibly intoxicating when she looked like she cared about someone, at least, that's what Xellos thought. Lina continued to try and push away.  
  
"Oi, get a room you two!" Naga was flustered. She had had a deep infatuation with Xellos, but Lina had quickly became her best friend somewhere around middle school, and her and Xellos had been together then. Naga wasn't a person to give in to much of anything, but when it really came down to her friends and those who she felt close to, not that she'd mention them to anyone, she watned them to be happy, although, Lina didn't look too happy right now.  
  
Suddenly, a rather quiet, raspy voice called out to Xellos, "Hey, she said knock it off!" Zelgadiss ahd been a quiet observer, forced to 'hang out' with his brother for the afternoon, he had said nothing until now. Zel wasn't the type of person who liked to see anyone in pain either, especially not at the hands of Xellos, he had seen first hand what could happen if Xellos didn't have is way. Zel grabbed his arm and yanked it painfully away from Lina, allowing her an escape route.  
  
Xellos flashed Zel a smile which held some kind of dark tinge to it, "Dear brother, you're such a spoil sport! We were just having fun." Xellos put on his best whiny voice.  
  
"Hmph, didn't look like it." Zelgadiss just couldn't stand to see Lina be taken advantage of right in front of him. Some said he had a cold heart, but he could still be noble at times.  
  
"Hey Lina!" Gourry sauntered up, seemingly oblivious to the situation.  
  
Lina broke from Xellos's embrace, flashing Zel a grateful smile, causing him to turn slightly red. She ran up to Gourry, her scarlet eyes sparkling.  
  
Zelgadiss grinned, letting go of his brother's arm, "Looks like your girl found a better guy."  
  
"Shut up Zel, if you know what's good for you, you'll just keep outta this." Xellos glared through slitted eyes at Gourry, who now had his hands on Lina's shoulders and was smiling down at her, "And if he knows what's goo for both of them, he'll keep away from my Lina." His glare turned to something beyond ice as he witnessed the blonde man embraced Lina then walk away, leaving her somewhat dazed.  
  
"Perhaps I don't know what's good for me, I won't let you hurt either of them. Just calm down, she's not your property, Lina's Lina, harder than the wind to tame, you can't control her."  
  
"Shut up bunny-chan."  
  
Zelgadiss sweatdropped. ~*~*~ "So, um, Lina, you wanna go to that festival thing with me? It'd be a great way to catch up on old times ya know?"  
  
"Gourry, my mom already said we were going together, uh, not that I wouldn't go with you, cause I would, but ya know, it's just..."  
  
Gourry smiled and put his hands on her shoulders, she was starting to talk too fast again, and it got confusing when she did that, "Don't worry Lina, I know what you mean." 'Kinda.' "I can't wait! It's been so long, I've really missed you Lina." Gourry surprised Lina when he pulled her into an embrace. As long as they had been friends, they had never hugged, not even when Gourry had left. As a matter of fact, Lina had bashed him over the head because he had forgotten why he was saying goodbye. It was always a good-natured thing between them, Gourry was always a little dense, Lina was uptight, so, they fit together like peas in a pod. Her mother had always said they'd wind up together someday, though Lina never believed her, Gourry's memory couldn't hold what he had eaten for breakfast, his nickname: Jellyfish. But, somehow, Gourry remained stuck to Lina, and they grew on eachother, that is, until the day Gourry had to leave, Lina never really figured out why, perhaps she'd ask him while they were 'catching up'. Speaking of which, Lina remembered Gourry in all his yogurt-for-brain- ness, he had never told her goodbye, they just sat there talking before he left. Now, to her it seemed as if he never intended on saying it, for she remembered that day and the look in his crystal blue eyes, that told her that he firmly believed that they would see eachother again someday.  
  
Lina smiled, Gourry's naivete always held such optomism . She broke the embrace and looked up into Gourry's eyes, the new-found sparkle they held sent her heart beating rapidly and a blush creeping up her face with a new feeling. In his eyes, she saw something that ran deeper than simple friendship, a sort of admiration, awe, of HER, not just her physically, but very aspect that was Lina. 'Love? Woaw Lina, you're getting in way over your head! You're friends with him and that's all it's every gonna be.'  
  
As Gourry turne dto leave, Lina chanced a last look at him, he jsut happened to have chancecd a glimpse at her and flashed her a throat- tighteningly innocent smile. 'Maybe...' she thought.  
  
Turning back toward her group of friends, Lina's face fell at the look in her current boyfriend's face. 'Maybe not.' *** a/n: hey, nother chapter done. hopefully the plot is building a little. thanx to all for the reviews, and for those who have reqested me writing a xel/lina ficcie, i'm currently working on it but i want to get this one out first. again, thank you minna-san for the reviews!!! much love  
  
**don't own any characters from slayers, and don't own the songs from trapt. you all should listen, they're really good, unless u don't like them... 


	4. Completely Loosing Seduction

Completely Loosing Seduction ~Hollowman [Trapt] I can't remember / The last time you cared about anything / The last time you allowed yourself to be seen / so pretentious your lies unrelenting disguise / Creating tears in your eyes your mind withers and dies / pretending to be something you are not / somewhere in the middle you are now caught / You've never seen who you really are / No life breathes in you / All the time you laugh you wait you cry / No part of your life is true / All the time your life passes you by / I don't ever want to see I don't ever want to be like you, Hollow Man / I don't care what you give / Hollow man you can't live like this // Your voice is just a whisper / You call upon your blank thoughts as you try / To fit in where you missed her / You missed the chance to stop living a lie ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "Luna I'm not wearing this! I look stupid, like a hussy."  
  
"You are going to wear this, I made it myself and it compliments your features nicely."  
  
"What features? Even Xellos says I'm flat-"  
  
"Chested? Get over yourself Lina, you keep beating up everyone who says you're underdeveloped, but now...You're not getting out of wearing this! And besides, Xellos is a domineering pig anyway, I don't see-"  
  
Lina booted Luna away as she did some touch ups on the bottom of her outfit, "He is NOT! Don't comment on things you have no idea about!"  
  
"Shut up ya little brat, you're the one who doesn't know. How does he look everytime you're with Gourry or some other guy?"  
  
Lina's voice grew small, like a child's, "Well, he's mad," suddenly, it grew emboldened, "But everyone'd be upset if they're love interest wwas flirting with someone else!"  
  
"So now you're fliriting with Gourry eh?"  
  
Lina's face blazed brighter than her hair with anger, "Luna you're such a, such a-"  
  
"Such a what?" Before Lina could blink, Luna was before her, her hand around Lina's neck, squeezing painfully, grinding her back against the wall. Lina scowled, a defiant glimmer in her eyes, her chin turned up in obvious disgust at her own voluntary vulnerability and at her sister for such a low blow. Luna sighed in disgust at her sister, "You're such a prick Lina, you and all of those things you hang out with. Can't even give an ounce of respect to those who deserve it, can't take advice when you know you need it, and believe me, you need it. You're all talk, but when it comes to fighting, you're nothing."  
  
Faster than light, Lina grabbed her sister's arm and yanked it sharply, and painfully, behind her back, "I've heared it all before, quit trying to think you knw me Luna, I'm getting older and so is it." Letter her go with a slight push, Lina walked off, ,starting for her room. "And I'm not nothing."  
  
Lina reached the beginning of the hall leading to her and Luna's room when something breezed by her, grazing her ear, thudding into the wall next to her. Turning around, Lina saw Luna glaring at her with a stern look that a parent would give their child, blood trickled down Lina's ear unnoticed. In turn, Lina gave her an expectant smirk. Luna returned with a smirk of her own, one of approval, she nodded to Lina then smiled genuinely. Somehow, in that little act, the Inverse sisters had reached a consensus.  
  
Lina rolled her eyes comically and simply left the house, on the way to the festival. ~*~*~ Lina stood at the gates to the festival grounds shivering, not quite from the cold, for it was a nice, warm night, but from nervousness. She had been here for about an hour, ridiculous thoughts running through her head to banish the awful thought that Gourry may not in fact, come. 'I was pretty sure I told him to meet me here.' One thought in particular stuck with her since she left her house, 'Why am I wearing this outfit? I hate skirts, why didn't I change?' The outfit in question was a low-cut, white blouse, tied just above her bellybutton, showing off her midrift. The skirt was denim and it hugged her waist comfortably. The outfit accenuated her features, her red hair glistened under the moonlight and her eyes seemed to sparkle brighter. Luna had been right, but Lina was still uncomfortable in it. The shirt she liked though, it proved to those who dared doubt that she had a bust line, but shen ever liked showing bare legs, she'd rather have pants. 'I could've changed, should've changed. why didn't I change? Maybe I was hoping he'd,' "like it?" Lina questioned herself in a quiet whisper.  
  
Suddenly, Lina's heart soared when she heard footsteps and someone call her name, "Lina?" But as quickly as it soared, it fell when she saw Xellos stumbling toward her, apparently plastered.  
  
A goofy smiled played it's way across his handsome features when he saw Lina, "My my Lina," Xellos stumbled, causing Lina to catch and help him stand. Xellos smiled wider, "Lina you're," he hiccuped and breathed in her perfume at the same time, "sexy." His clouded eyes swept over her body slowly, stopping at periodic places shown off by her new ensemble. This caused her to blush and step back, trying to cover herself. For some strange reason, she didn't like the idea of Xellos looking at her as hungrily as he apparently was now. When they had first been going out, she had tried to show off to make sure she met Xellos's standards, now, it just made her uncomfortable to see that look on his face.  
  
"No no Lina-chan," Xellos drunkenly reached for her hands and pulled them around his neck and proceeded to nibble on her ear.  
  
Lina sucked in her breath and tried to push away from him. She never realized how much someone stank after they had been drinking, "Xell, please, stop."  
  
Xellos ignored her and took notice of the deep cut on her ear, "Lina you're *hiccup* bleeding, let me clean it out for you." He licked the cut, causing Lina to gasp at the pain of his salty salive touching the cut her sister had given her. She pushed him away, surprised at her success at moving him, of course, he proceeded to fall, making Lina move to catch him.  
  
"Hey Lina!" Gourry startled her in the process of helping Xellos up, as a result, she failed in holding onto him. The knock that came with his head connecting painfully with the ground seemed to sober him up rather than knock him out, "Owch, Lina-chan!"  
  
Lina ignored him and glared at Gourry, "Nice of you to show up!"  
  
Gourry stopped, noting the acid in Lina's voice and the fire of anger her eyes held, "What do you mean? I've been waiting for you by the cotton candy stand for an hour. I finally figured you weren't coming so I thought I'd leave." Gourry looked somewhat clueless and hurt.  
  
"You idiot," Lina said this with more contempt that she liked, still she continued, hurt at the fact that she was almost stood up, "We were meeting here!"  
  
"No, we were meeting at the cotton candy stand!" Slowly, Gourry took notice of Xellos standing beside Lina, clueless of the situation but looking very possessive of her. Contempt of his own raised in his voice, "You know, Slphiel told me you might ditch me for your friends, but I didn't believe her cause I thought we were friends but if you're gonna lie like that just to run off and make out with your boyfriend. Maybe you have changed Lina Inverse."  
  
Lina was hurt, stung deeply by the accusation, deeper than she thought she's be, she'd never lied, well, except to Luna and to herself a couple times, but never to him. Tears welled up in her eyes, "Well so have you, jellyfish brain!" Lina pushed Xellos out of the way and jogged off in the direction she had come an hour ago.  
  
Gourry's fevered expression melted when he saw just how deeply he's hurt Lina but she'd never been this soft before, always was she the tough one who never cried, not even when she had the crap beaten out of her by her sister. Something had changed, and he had to fix it, "Lina!?"  
  
Xellos stopped him with a glare and dashed off after Lina, asking her a question Gourry couldn't hear, she turned around and screamed at him to get away then broke into a full-fledged run home. Xellos lent her a head-start and then chased after her.  
  
Gourry didn't seem to like the action, or what he could discern from the look on Xellos's face from the distance he stood away. Gourry as well took to the chase, 'Lina you really look great tonight.' He smiled at seeing her in that outfit, though he'd really like it better if she were wearing pants. *** a/n: tada, nother one, wow, two in two nights. i normally don't write this much but this idea might actually see an end. well, reviews as always are welcome and speecial thanx goes out to all those who have reviewed, you ppl really inspired me to keep writing. um, yeah, i don't own slayers or trapt lyrics [that's why i put their name at the top] nanyway, look for more chapters, coming to a computer near you! 


	5. Fearful Innocence

Fearful Innocent ~Enigma[Trapt] Do we know how to get the message across / We turn the lights off to find a way out / It's hard to get through to grasp what was lost / Don't turn the light off and leave me in the dark / Hey, I'm pleading, my soul is bleeding / I don't want to be left alone, not when I'm right next to you/ What are you thinking, it's so misleading / Is it not for me to know, I think it's just hard for you to show // We never spoke in the words that we want / We turn the lights off to find a way out / We've never chosen to keep what we've got / Don't turn the light off and leave me in the dark // I thought it would be nice to lie down and close my eyes / It never occurred to me that I am already asleep // Don't be the one to be let go / Don't be the one to be alone ****WARNING***** THIS IS VERY DARK AT THE END, NOT FOR KIDS OR THOSE OF LIGHT HEART AND STOMACH!!!! you've been warned! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Lina stormed inside, stumbling out of her platform, buckle up sandals, confusing her sister who had been putting on a pair of silver hoop earings, "Lina, what are you doing? And why are you home so early, it's not like you to be home before I have to go out hunting for you?"  
  
"Shut up, I don't need to say anything, nor do I want to." She seemed as if to be convincing herself more than telling her sister to but out. Lina was now struggling with the buttons on her blouse and the tie at the bottom causing her sister to raise her eyebrow in bewildered confusion. Finally succeding with the blouse, Lina flung it to the ground in a fury, wishing death upon it soon as it hit the floor.  
  
"Lina, what's-" but Luna cut herself off when she saw her sister trip taking off her skirt on her way down the hall. Earrings long forgotten, Luna grabbed Lina by the shoulders and hauled her up, looking fiercly into her eyes, causing Lina to turn away, "Can I ask why you're stripping in the main hall?"  
  
Lina shrugged her off, "Don't you have some date?"  
  
"Yes, and I should be gone now, but you're here, which has got me confused, and I don't like being confused! Now what's going on?" Luna squeezed her shoulders painfully, willing to get the answer out of her somehow.  
  
Lina, no garbed in only her under-garments, simply pushed her sister off, not caring how bad she'd get beaten later on, "It's none of your fricken business!"  
  
"He ditched you didn't he? That doesn't sound like Gourry, maybe you misunderstood."  
  
"GO AWAY LUNA! I said I didn't want to talk about it."  
  
"No you didn't, you said it's none of my business."  
  
"It shouldn't matter to you anyway!"  
  
"What if it does?"  
  
A honk at the door interrupted the argument, Luna's facial expression suddenly went to elated mode, "That's my date, I'll see you later ok? We'll talk then ok? And for goodness sakes Lina, get DRESSED! What if he were to come in here?"  
  
"What would it matter, it's not as if he'd look at me, I have the physique of a ten-year-old remember?"  
  
"Fine, whatever, just..." Luna couldn't think of anything to say, she was so annoyed with Lina and her self pity trips. 'Oh how I'd just love to pummel that child.' Luna rolled her eyes and left the house at the second honk of the car horn.  
  
"Yeah, real nice, won't even come to the door, and she puts down Xellos for bein rude." Lina muttered to herself after Luna closed the door. Lina tramped down the hall to the last door on the left, not bothering to clean up her mess in the main hall, she'd probably get her ear chewed off by Luna when she came home but she didn't care, right now she was imersed in her own thoughts, "How could someone like Gourry stand someone up, let alone say what he said? Maybe I was too quick to assume, I mean, he IS a jellyfish brain, maybe he did forget? I feel so bad but, HE DIDN'T HAVE TO SAY THOSE THINGS! I miss him...Gourry..." She flopped down on her bed now dressed in an overly large white t-shirt that touched her knees. *** Gourry followed Xellos down a couple of sidestreets before he had become completely and hopelessly lost. 'I thought he was going to Lina's, maybe he was just going home?' "Oh well, gues I should go apologize to Lina for what I said, I don't know what came over me, but she seemed so hurt, she's never EVER been like that before. I never should have accused her of lying, I'm an awful friend."  
  
'But she accused YOU of lying.' Gourry's innervoice spoke to him.  
  
"I doesn't matter, she's my friend and I never should have-"  
  
'Are you sure she's just a friend, doesn't seem like it to me.'  
  
"Um, I'm pretty sure...."  
  
'Sure she's not more? Like maybe a girlfriend?'  
  
"Well," Gourry looked up at the stars in the sky, his vast, blue eyes, twinkling in time with them, making him look utterly enchanting. "she's a girl, and she's my friend so I guess so."  
  
'You're an idiot!' The voice went silent.  
  
"Wow, that voice sounds a lot like Lina sometimes." Gourry smiled. *** Xellos wandered around thinking, he knew the dumb blonde was following, he'd lose that airhead shortly. Besides losing Gourry, Xellos had alternate motives for taking such an outrageous route to Lina's house, Lina's inuition being one of them. Years of being Xellos's girlfriend had honed her skills enough to know when someone was following her, she had caught him trying to sneak up on her many times. Xellos would rather Lina not know directly about his plans. The second motive to the route would be that Luna'd be gone. He knew she had a date tonight, weedling the news out of Lina was nothing too difficult, he also knew that if Lina had a problem, Luna wouldn't leave until she knew what it was and Lina'd never tell her. The argument would last about this long then Xellos'd show up to make Lina feel better and help Lina with any bruises left by Luna. "Luna should be gone by now."  
  
Xellos turned around and sure enough, Gourry was gone, "Ah noble Gourry, always out for Lina-chan's best interests, too bad though *chuckle* you're such an airhead at times." *** Lina tossed and turned in her bed, her scarlet eyes reflecting the rising moon in clear annoyance, "Great, can't sleep, simply wonderful. Yup.....soooooooooo bored." A rustle in the dark scarlet curtains from the wind through her open window caused Lina to realize just how lonely she was.  
  
Struck with no particular inspiration other than that of a wild craving for coffee. Lina threw on her deep purple, satin robe, scowling at the fact that it went well down, past her feet, a hand-me-down from her taller, more endowed, sister. Lina had always meant to cut it down or just buy a new one but never got around to it. Her life, and Xellos, came first. 'Still, it'd be better if it were red, yes, a dark red, that'd be great.'  
  
Lina took a moment to think back to what Luna had said about Xellos, "He's a domineering pig."  
  
"He's not trying to control me right? I-I really love him." Instantly, her thoughts of Xellos turned to Gourry and she dispelled them almost as quickly, not before, however, regretting her earlier actions. *** "Ugh." Lina had made it to the coffee pot in the kitchen. She had quickly disposed of the pot full of old coffee which had acquired a sort of odd smell. Refilling the coffee maker with water, she went through the necessary steps to make the drink, not really thinking of anything. She didn't have long to wait until in her hand was a creamed, sugared, pot of caffinated goodness, "Not exactly a caramel macchiato but good enough for now." For some reason Lina felt as if she were being watched but ignored the feeling and took a sip from her mug.  
  
"Oh but Lina sweety, I could keep you awake so much better."  
  
*CRASH*  
  
Lina gasped, almost horrified at the look in Xellos's eyes, haunting, almost as if he were a different person.  
  
"Ya know, you're little friend Gourry is coming here to say he's sorry, but it's really not his fault is it? Little Lina's just a little insecure, but I'm here to remedy that."  
  
"What do you want Xellos?" She suddenly didn't trust Xellos the way she had, something about him Lina now saw, shining through as something saved for just this moment.  
  
"Why Lina, that...is a secret." He started to move toward her, his eyes closed as they often were, but a deceptively sweet smile plastered on his face.  
  
"G-get out Xellos, I don't want anyone here right now!" Lina backed up into the cupboards of the kitchen, suddenly feeling very helpless and terrified under the smile. In a futile attempt to get away, Lina called out, "Someone help! Gourry!" not entirely believing it'd work.  
  
Blinding pain swept through her as she was lifted off her feet and slammed into the cupboards lining the wall above the sink and stove. A moment of panic swept through her as she found she couldn't breathe, Xellos had a hold of her throat, suspending her just above eyes level. "No one's gonna help you now Lina, you belong to me. And I don't like how close you've gotten to that idiot!"  
  
"FIREBALL!" Xellos suddenly flew back behind a massive ball of fire, unfortunately which did nothing more than singe him. Lina fell from her ealier position but ignored that as she massaged her throat, "You are a controlling pig aren't you?"  
  
Xellos only grinned, "Why Lina-chan, I'm hurt, how could you think such a thing. By the way, aren't you forbidden to use your abilities?" With a simple wave of his hand, Xellos swept Lina up into the air, using a spell of some kind to hold her there while he walked slowly back up to her. "My, my, if looks could kill."  
  
"Na, I'd rather do that with my bare hands."  
  
"I'm hurt, really. You still don't realize that you'll never get the best of me Lina. You and I are two different people. My question is, how did you change so quickly, trying to impress me one minute and now, it's as if you want to kill me." By now, Xellos was mere centimeters from Lina, she could feel his heat radiating off him, a desire stronger than she'd felt from him, it made her sick.  
  
"You're disgusting!" Lina spat in his face.  
  
Xellos let out his anger toward his supposed girlfriend in a violent slap that sent her across the room, rendering her a large bruise up her whole right side and on her left cheek where his hand connected with her face. Dispite this, she stood, albeit unsteadily, "So much for love eh?"  
  
Suddenly, he was on her, her back pinned against the wall, Xellos proceeded to tear the large shirt off her. Lina let out a primal scream that quickly muffled by Xellos as he delt her another blow across her face. Tears coarsed down her face as she tried countless spells to get him off of her, all of which were met with a kick, knee, or hit before they could take effect. Soon, she gave into hitting him when he proceeded to remove her bra and panties, "NO, LEAVE ME, JUST GO AWAY! You monster!"  
  
Xellos began to get very frustrated at her, "You are mine and I'm going to make sure everyone knows it!" He pressed himself against himself against her, just so she could feel how much he wanted her. Noticing Lina about to wretch, he grinned, she was at HIS mercy.  
  
Suddenly, all stopped as Xellos felt cold, sharp metal pressed against his skin. Dropping Lina, he turned around to face the tall, blonde man who had been holding a long, broadsword. Xellos grinned.  
  
Lina crawled into a corner, unaware of her nakedness, watching in horror at the situation. She jumped, screaming slightly when she felt something touch her, calming down a little when she saw Zelgadiss's concerned face, holding his cream-colored cloak around her. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a/n: yes, dark. the next chapter won't be like this, but it will be slightly dark, but more like a darkish grey. please, don't flame me for this ending, i apologize to those who love xellos, personally, i do. this was merely part of the story. if you'd like a lighter xellos-centered fic, please be patient, i'm writing a xellos/lina one right now but i want to get this one done first. keep in mind this is a gourry/lina fic. oh, and amelia will FINALLY make her debut in this next chapter [gomen nasai all amelia lovers!] filia won't be in this fic, mostly because i don't really know her character that much right now, gomen nasai again! 


	6. Purifying Evil

Purifying Evil ~Headstrong [Trapt] Circling your, circling your, circling your head / Contemplating everything you ever said / Now I see the truth / I got a doubt / A different motive in your eyes and now I'm out / See you later / I see your fantasy, you want to make it a reality paved in gold / See inside, inside of our heads, yeah / Well now that's over / I see your motives inside, decisions to hide // Back off we'll take you on / Headstrong to take on anyone / I know that you are wrong / Headstrong we're Headstrong / Back off I'll take you on / Headstrong to take on anyone / I know that you are wrong / And this is not where you belong // I can't give everything away / I won't give everything away // Conclusions manifest / Your first impressions got to be your very best / I see you're full of s*** and that's alright / That's how you play I guess you get through every night / Well now that's over / I see your fantasy, you want to make it a reality paved in gold / See inside, inside of our heads, yeah / Well now that's over/ I see your motives inside, decisions to hide // Back off we'll take you on / Headstrong to take on anyone / I know that you are wrong / Headstrong we're Headstrong / Back off I'll take you on / Headstrong to take on anyone / I know that you are wrong / And this is not where you belong // Where you belong / I can't give everything away / This is not where you belong / I won't give everything away //I know, I know all about / I know, I know all about / I know, I know all about / I know, I know all about your motives inside and your decision to hide //  
  
Back off we'll take you on / Headstrong to take on anyone / I know that you are wrong / Headstrong we're Headstrong / Back off I'll take you on / Headstrong to take on anyone / I know that you are wrong / And this is not where you belong // Where you belong / This is not where you belong / I can't give everything away / This is not where you belong / I won't give everything away/ This is not where you belong // ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So, you've decided to pick up your family's legacy after all eh? Watch out, swinging around that thing like you know what you're doing might get someone's eye poked out."  
  
Gourry stood in a defensive position, his sword held out in front of him, not saying anything, betraying no emotion.  
  
Xellos became aggrivated, why must everyone interfere with his plans? "You know, Lina's mine, she's been mine since you left her all alone. A very complex creature she is, running to me when you left, running to you when she gets a little scared, why do you fight for someone who constantly puts you down like that. Could you possibly love her?" He laughed, "Oh that's rich, the idiot blonde loving the high-strung, tempermental red-head." Xellos grinned as he saw Gourry tense.  
  
"Quit trying to understand Xellos, it's beyond your level of comprehension." Zelgadiss stood up after casting a sleep spell on Lina, drawing his own sword.  
  
"Two against one, that's not very fair, and aren't the swords a little harsh? I mean this is just Lina we're talking about, no one really likes her, no one can handle her."  
  
"Shut up." Both Zelgadiss and Xellos jumped at the rashness in Gourry's voice. Something had been ignited, a hatred everyone thought the bubblehead was incapable of. "I know what you're capable of, magic not many can use in this day. But when you commit such a crime as you have done, then your only retribution is death. You may be right, I may love Lina, but what matters right now is that you pay for the crimes you've committed against her."  
  
"What, it's not as if I took anything from her. She's still innocent, matter of fact, you got here just in time, or else, she may have-" Xellos was cut off as he was met by the pomel of Gourry's sword in his face. He stumbled back a bit, holding his face and growling fiercly. "You will pay for that!"  
  
"Zel, take Lina out of here, this is between me and him." Gouirry's tone of voice left no room for argument, so Zel only nodded and carried Lina back into her room.  
  
"Correction, this is between me and Lina, she's mine, not yours!"  
  
"Lina belongs to no one, you're sick!"  
  
"Tell me something I haven't already been told." White-hot pain exploded in Xellos's arm. Glancing down, he found that infact, he didn't have a right arm. Black blood dripped from his arm, disappearing before it hit the floor. He stared in alarm at his severed arm, "Only the Sword of Light can do that much damage to-" he cut himself off when he saw Gourry holding a glowing sword out in front of him. Xellos growled, "This is becoming a veritable fairy tell ne?"  
  
Suddenly, a blast of air hit Gourry, sending him across the room, slamming against the wall, "You're awfully headstrong you know that?"  
  
"Yeah, well, you're not gonna get what you want!"  
  
"What'er you, her protector?"  
  
"Yeah," Gourry grinned standing up, hauling his sword up, holding it diagonal to his body. Panting, he made his move, charging across the room, for they were now in the spacious living room, at Xellos, "I guess so!"  
  
Xellos sent a sizeable fireball at Gourry who split in half with his sword, although it still managed to scorch the sides of his face, he ignored the pain, having one thing on his mind, vengeance for Lina. Magic and sword flew throughout the room for a while before Gourry realized he had no chance at making contact with Xellos's body unless somehow, Xellos decided to fight with a sword, Gourry put it beyond Xellos to fight fair.  
  
Gourry was trying to fight his way around to the hall to fetch Zelgadiss to help him, but Xellos wouldn't budge when suddenly, Xellos let out an immense cry of pain as his whole body began to contract. A voice thundered around the room seeming to come from everywhere, "This is what you owe when you try things on my family!" Gourry dropped his stance when he glanced at the terrifying purple-haired woman standing in the doorway of the living room.  
  
Luna held Xellos up until he passed out then unceremoniously dropped him to the ground.  
  
"He's not..."  
  
"Dear Gourry, I could never kill, mame, torture, maybe, but not kill."  
  
Gourry shivered and picked up Xellos's body, grimly he looked at her, "Tell Lina I'll be back."  
  
Luna nodded in understanding and let him walk past and out the door before she proceeded into Lina's room. *** Zelgadiss looked up from Lina's sleeping form when he heard a knocking at the window. Instantly, he got up and opened it for a girl with short, blackish purple hair and bright, shining eyes to crawl in. She looked at him a moment with a slight blush on her face, then set about talking, "Why couldn't I just come in the front way?"  
  
"Amelia, there's a sort of battle going on out there."  
  
Amelia heard the sounds of combat and shook her head, "It's simply unjust to fight in someone's house, they could mess everything up!"  
  
"Amerlia, I called you for Lina..."  
  
"Oh yeah. Well, what kind of crimes did that criminal commit against dearest Lina?" Glancing at Lina's beaten body, Amelia recoiled, "Oh dear, this is serious."  
  
"But you can heal her right?" Zel looked hopefully into Amelia's eyes, causing her to blush again and filling her with a positive determination.  
  
"Of course!" Amelia leaned over Lina's body and soon was chanting a healing spell while speaking with Zel, "I had actually thought for a moment I'd forgotten how to do this stuff, it's been so long. It's really a shame that those blessed with magic skills are considered freaks around here." Zel nodded in agreement watching Lina regain some of her color.  
  
"In the name of justice, I truly hope that that monster gets what he deserves." Amelia frowned at Lina. They'd known eachother for a while, Amelia always looked up to Lina for her enthusiasm and apparent fear of nothing. Many called her a hero worshipper, but she didn't care, Lina was special to her, seeing her like this was just unnerving.  
  
Hearing a screech of agony, Zelgadiss smirked, just because Xellos was his brother doesn't mean he was fond of the purple haired man, "I think he is."  
  
Not long after, Luna Inverse carefully tread down the hall into the room to find Zel and Amelia each holding one of the unconscious Lina's hands. She smiled. these were the kinds of friends Luna wanted Lina to have. *** a/n: dark greyish, not as well written but i wanted to get this outta the way so i can finish up maybe in the next chapter. so, two chapters in one night, that's my record, might make it three if i'm bored enough. comments loved!  
  
**disclaimer** forgot to put this in last chapter, don't own trapt or slayers, ta for now! 


	7. Clouded Judgement

Clouded Judgement ~Still Frame [Trapt]  
  
Please help me 'cause I'm breaking down, this picture's frozen and I can't get out (of here) / Believe me, I'm just as lost as you / And every time I think I've finally made it / I learn I'm farther away than I've ever been before / I see the clock and it's ticking away, and the hourglass empty / What the f*** do I have to say / Keep it inside the image portrayed / As if I couldn't stand losing as if I couldn't be saved, no way / A small confession I think I'm starting to lose it / I think I'm drifting away from the people I really need / A small reflection on when we were younger / We had it all figured 'cause we had everything covered / Now we're older it's getting harder to see / What this future will hold for us, what the f*** are we going to be? / I'm afraid I'm falling farther away (from where I want to be) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gourry returned about an hour later, a grim expression seeming completely out of placec on his normally cluelessly happy face. The hatred, which had somewhat subsided sincee he had left but not completely, still made his whole visage seem obscured with darkness, this kind of feeling was just not right on Gourry and he couldn't think of any other time he had ever felt this way.  
  
Suddenly, he realized as he stepped through the threshold of Lina's house, after no one had answered his knocks, the severe need of a calm, almost soothing attitude. His memory went back to the look on Lina's face when he fought Xellos for her pride, it was as if she had saw her death just before it was about to take her, and perhaps she had, but Gourry knew this, he never wanted to see it on her again. Jsut as hatred did not suit him, that kind of fear was just NOT Lina, Lina was not afraid and Gourry did everything within his power, without the waste of a life or course, to make sure that would never happen again, he had every confidence he could muster that his plan had worked, only the morning would tell.  
  
Now however, was the time necessary to be thought about, down the long, wide, seemingly endless hall, made longer by what awaited him at the end, he walked, trying to lighten his expression into that naive look that so made her angry at times. 'Any mood would be better than that whish she's most likely in right now....' A flash of worry flew through his eyes, quickly diminished when he walked into her room.  
  
Inside, he found Zelgadiss facing the corner, looking like a punished child who had just been told to stand in the corner until they thought about what they did, only, he seemed to be blushing slightly. This confused Gourry until he glanced into the actual room, dimly light by lamplight from Lina's bedstand. The light shown around the room, reflecting the deep crimson walls, red had been Lina's favorite color since they had been children, coming to rest on the two figures who seemed to be wrestling in front of the foot of the bed, theire backs turned on the door and Gourry. Voices reached his ears:  
  
"Come on Miss Lina! Please, just put this robe on, you don't wanna look indecent for Mr. Zelgadiss do you?"  
  
"I don't care, I just wanna be alone, go away!"  
  
"I can't do that Lina, you know I can't! Please, just do this and you can be alone."  
  
"I just want to leave why can't you let me?"  
  
"Oh dear, that robe really is too big isn't it?"  
  
Gourry reddened slightly but walked into the room, causing Lina and Amelia to stop immediately what they were doing. Lina spun around, the robe successfully on her but that's not what Gourry first noticed, the complete lack of trust for anything, especially him, sank his heart and surrounded him in a cloud of despair. "Lina?" He began to advance toward her slowly, hoping to coax her by using a soft, comforting tone, only to have it shoved rudely back into his face.  
  
"No! All of you just go away!!!" Tears streaked down Lina's face, it was as if she was a whole new person, one that no one liked, not for it's rudeness, but for it's utter vulnerability and fear of everything.  
  
"But, why Lina?" Gourry's mind was sinking back into it's comfort zone, where he knew nothing. Like many people, if Gourry went through a hard time or traumatizing event, his mind would retreat into the depths of itself, leaving him clueless to the world. Once he had tried to tell Lina this when she had asked him about his late mother, she had merely giggled and told him his mind was always like that.  
  
"You left me!" The comment was so softly spoken, but the volume it held in meaning screamed in Gourry's mind.  
  
"But Lina, I never wanted to leave, it was my parents. We kept in touch, and I'm here now! Please, talk to me, don't say those things though!"  
  
Lina's face adopted that of intense anger. Zel had stepped away from the corner, but not far, wanting to stay away from the redhead's anger as much as possibly, he knew what she was capable of, a gift granted few now-a-days it was considered a curse. Still though, he couldn't avoid the anger soaked distrustful glare Lina sent to everyone in the room. "You left me, you all abandoned me! My sister doesn't even care!" Gourry quickly took stock of who was present in the room and indeed found that Luna was comsumately absent. "And now, I've been betrayed by the only one I could have loved!" Gourry felt as if he had had been forced to watch as someone ripped his heart out and now let him watch himself bleed to death. His mind started to grow dark, receeding into blissful ignorance.  
  
Gourry shook his head forcibly, bringing himself back to reality. Lina needed him right now. Amelia's yell helped bring him back along with a shove that unbalanced him so suddenly he almost fell atop Amelia. Not long did it take to find that Lina had ran out on him, dashing out of the house and down the dark street.  
  
Amelia's eyes grew puffy and red with unshed tears, she looked hopefully up at him, "Please Mr. Gourry, please go after her. Don't let her hurt herself."  
  
Without a second thought, Gourry sped off after Lina, nearly tripping up in the clothes Lina still had strewn about on the floor of the hall and foyer from when she came home from the festival. Not slowing down however, he followed the large purple sheen that reflected the streetlight as it's wearer raced down the road towards the....Gourry's eyes suddenly bulged, he HAD to catch up to her.  
  
Zel took Amelia's arm in his, a grim look set on his face, although hiding some kind of fondness, Amelia blushed despite the situation.  
  
"Come Amelia, there'll be nothing more we can do here, let me take you home." *** Lina ran, blindly, nothing flashed through her mind as she ran, and yet, somewhere inside she knew what she was about to do, and she was scared. Only once before had she thought of doing this, but then she thought back to what he would feel, what he'd say, why she was so concerned about what he would think, she didn't know, but she knew she didn't want to make him upset, it just didn't seem right on him. But now, he had betrayed her trust twice, albeit not on purpose, but that didn't matter to her anymore, it wouldn't happen again, never again, and it scared her more. Running to the bridge, she took a blind leap off the edge and closed her eyes at the feeling of pure flight came over her, only, she wasn't flying. *** Gourry threw the top half of his body over the bridge, reaching for all he was worth, anchoring himself as only years of sword practice would allow a person, to the ground, holding him in place. To his surprise, and extreme joy, his hand gripped something and he held on for all her life was worth.  
  
From underneath him, he could hear cries and struggles, "Just let me go! You've left me before, just please!"  
  
"No, Lina, I WON'T!" He grunted as he began to pull her up.  
  
Lina looked up at him, the anger that once clouded it now abated, she saw this man holding onto her, wanting her to stay in this life for as long as she could. The emotion given in that one act was more than Lina had ever felt from a person since her mother had simply explained something to her rather than physically punish her. It was a sense that someone actually loved her rather than simply put up with her.  
  
And then, his hand slipped. Lina screeched, despertaely trying to find a hold. She wanted to stay, stay forever, with him. To live life, greet the sun each morning, waking up in Gourry's arms each morning. Strange how love can come at the most inconvenient times.  
  
"Gourry don't let go! Don't leave me!" *** Gourry threw his other arm over and grabbed Lina's one little hand with both of his. With a sudden burst of adrenaline, he hefted Lina over the guardrail of the bridge, pulling her into his arms, as if convincing himself that she really was safe, she really was here, with him. "Sh, it's ok, I'm never gonna leave again, I promise."  
  
Almost instantly, the whole situation caught up to Lina, she began to sob into Gourry's pale blue shirt, soaking it in the procecss of apologizing for everything. Gourry merely ran his one hand through her hair while his other held her 'round the waist, close to him. *** Silence reigned as Lina's sobs dwindled to shaky hiccups. Gourry still hadn't moved from his position, holding her protectively, shielding her from the evils of the world that dared stride near her in her vulnerable state.  
  
It only took a little while for Gourry to finally move, "Lina?" Only, nothing came back to him as he found she had fallen asleep. He couldn't help but smile fondly, this is how it should be, it just felt too right.  
  
In one graceful movement, he picked her up and walked proudly back to Lina's house. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a/n: ok, so there's one more chapter to go, i decided i'd finish up with extra fluff so those who don't like sappy stuff, then this'll be your last chapter. hope you enjoyed this fic, cuz i really liked writin in! comments welcome! and now, i'll finally get round to writin that one story i promised all those xel/lina fans! ttyl!  
  
lay i claim to no slayers character, or that of which was made by trapt 


	8. To Mine

To Mine  
  
Lina was simply giddy, she spun around in the new scarlet robe crafted expertly in silk. Two sillouetted dragone weaved their way 'round the back and front of the robe up to the collar where the heads curled down then back up so that they were looking at eachother with their mouths open, on either side of the robe. It felt as if it had been made specifically for her, for it hugged her small form like a lover's embrace. Lina smiled at the thought, many a morning she had woke up in a living dream, being held by someone she gave her heart too long ago who had returned it at the same time, only, just weeks prior had they figured it out. It was true, tragedy did bring strength, only, he swore that if she EVER did that again he'd personally set her sister on her. That was a prospect Lina didn't want to think of twice.  
  
She sighed, she had just recieved a package from Amelia for her birthday [a few days early but Amelia didnt need to know that she had already opened it] and Lina personally loved it. She looked in the full-length mirror of the bathroom of the hotel in which she was staying, for she came to see her parents, thinking it'd be easier to go see them for her birthday than have them come all the way home. They had objected obviously, but she insisted, she HAD to get away from Luna, and Amelia who had turned into a house maid since the incident, over everyday just making sure she didn't leave.  
  
"I love it!" Lina screeched and jumped up and down excitedly. Gourry was out right now, probably getting food, 'Good, cause I'm hungry!' Lina thought a minute, "He probably ate it all already, that doof," she let the frustration roll over her then smiled.  
  
A knock at the door disturbed her thoughts, "Gourry, you have a key,you don't need to knock."  
  
The knocking didn't stop and Lina rolled her eyes, walking to the door and opening it. However, rather than meet Gourry, Lina met a rather flustered busboy, "Can I help you?"  
  
An annoyed look crossed his face, "Lina Inverse I presume?"  
  
She crossed her arms and jutted her hip cockily, giving him her patented 'I'm bored with you and I'm busy' look, "Who want's ta know?"  
  
"I was told to deliver this to you." The busboy held out as single, exquisit golden rose. Lina gasped, it was beautiful, one of the few wonderous treasures untainted by human greed. Commonly, only those gifted with magic knew of a golden rose, for those with magic knew which myths were true and which were false. Lina looked up at the busboy.  
  
"Sad really, they have to paint a rose now-a-days just to show a girl love. Certainly was easier, and more sanitary back home." He mummbled as he walked off down the hall.  
  
Slowly, Lina closed the door, holding the rose to her chest, "A golden rose, an elven treasure, who could have given me this? It's definitly real, I can feel it." Regardless of what insecurities, she smiled. She ran her hand down the stem and carefully over the thorns, reveling in the beautiful scent of the rose when her finger hit something, causing it to fall to the floor. Leaning down to pick it up, a thought occured to her, "It could have been mom and dad," again she smiled.  
  
Lina looked down at what her hand was picking up and she gasped, a single, gorgeous diamond ring, two rubies on either side of the large diamond, lay on the ground. Lina looked at the rose curiously, picking up the ring.  
  
Just as she stood, the door opened and Gourry stepped in the room, holding trays of food, "You wouldn't believe the lines down there! Tons of people, all getting the biggest orders like there's no more food. Oh, you see you got the rose and the ring."  
  
"Y-you did this?" She eyed him with suspicion, "How'd you get a real golden rose?"  
  
Setting the trays on the bedside stand, Gourry put his finger on his chin looking very thoughtful, "Well, my mother's side is elven. That's why I couldn't tell ya where we went when we moved away for that while, mom said it's a place where only her people can go."  
  
Lina nodded and looked at the rose and the ring, "The busboy seemed rather, annoyed." 'Oh wonderful, I must sound so lame!'  
  
"Yeah, wonder why that is."  
  
"Well, it has seemed rather busy lately."  
  
"It has?"  
  
"You're such a jellyfish brain."  
  
Scratching the back of his neck, Gourry laughed nervously, "Yeah, I guess I am. You haven't said anything about the ring, if you don't like it I can take it back."  
  
"No! Don't you dare! I happen to love it thank you very much! But, well, why did you get it?"  
  
"Well, I actually had a question for you, it's um, kinda hard to ask really, um, do you think, after school's over, cause ya know we're, um, almost done with it and all...do ya think, uh, would you..." Gourry seemed as if he were having a harder time remembering what he was supposed to be asking rather than having difficulty asking the question.  
  
However, with each stuttered word, Lina's hopes soared, in fact, if she weren't so hopefull, she's probably whack him or something. However, she settled herself with merely stepping closer to him and smiling sweetly.  
  
Gourry had seen that look many times, it was a dangerous smile, that preceeded pain, he tried to back up to wind up tripping over the bed.  
  
Lina sat beside him taking his hand and placing the ring in his palm. Confused, Gourry took it and looked at it, she said she liked it, so why was she giving it back? Did that mean she didn't want to, well, maybe she didn't know what he was asking her, he hadn't exactly come straight out and asked, 'Na, Lina's smarter than that.' Suddenly, Gourry jumped back when a hand appeared before his face, held out as if displaying something that wasn't there. Lina flicked her wrist, gestering toward the ring Gourry was holdnig, slowly, he slipped it on her finger watching her face.  
  
Lina couldn't help herself, breaking the dam of smiles that was going to invereably going to break soon anyway. Not a second went by in the time between Gourry slipping the ring on her finger until she lunged at him, knocking him flat on the bed. Laying her head on his chest, they sat in rather comfortable silence for a while.  
  
After a short time, a particular question had began to plague her thoughts, but was it really safe to ask? Oh well, Lina often left little to chance, she sighed and began, "Hey, Gourry, whatever happened to uh, Xellos?"  
  
Gourry snorted, but said nothing.  
  
"Oh come on Gourry! I'm just curious is all."  
  
"Well," Gourry opened his eyes and put a finger to his chin in a desperate attempt to think, "I can't exacly remember a lot of it all, but I know I didn't kill 'im. That was one thing I couldn't do." He smiled despite himself, "Anway, his arm healed all back up before I got to his house, but I just dropped him off there and told his parents I found him passed out somewhere.  
  
Lina snuggled into him, "Good."  
  
"Huh?" Gourry recieved no explaination to Lina's response, he looked over and found she had fallen asleep. Suddenly, however, he felt a rather painful stinging sensation in his arm. "Owowow! Lina-chan!" He groaned and scowled at her. Slowly, his scowl broke into a smile and he turned so that he encompassed Lina's form in his embrace, her facee buried in his chest. He smiled and drifted off to sleep himself. *** The door to the hotel room opened slowly and two forms walked in slowly, curious as to the silence of the late afternoon. The silence was soon broken as a distinctly female voice cooed, "Awe." Then, a grunting sound as the eldery female yanked a male of a slightly older age away from the sleeping couple on the bed , "What'er you doing?" came from her in a harsh whisper.  
  
"Do you think they should be so....close? The male of about forty-five looked disapprovingly at the blonde man with his arms about his daugher.  
  
The woman smiled as something caught her eye as it sparkled off the sunlight, she shoved her husband out the door, "I think we have no right to wake them."  
  
"B-but!"  
  
"Sh! Let's go!"  
  
And thus, the pair exited, leaving Lina and Gourry asleep on a bed, next to a table stacked full of food, which itself sat next to piles of gifts from friends and family. Atop these, sat a glistening, obsidian black, double sided blade, sharp enough to split hairs, polished to a professional sheen. The blade was fastened atop the cross of the hilt which was shaped as two vines, coiling around a small bar. The vies crawled up to come out as sharp points about a quarter-way up the blade on both sides, resulting in, if the stab were deep enough, three wounds, rather than just one, the entire hilt [that which was not covered in leather where the dagger was to be held] was made from a black/silver metal. The bottom of the leather hilt ended at the pommel stone, it being a large, equally exquisit polished, trasparent purple stone. The sun-light reflected from Lina's ring shot across the room, hitting the purple stone, sealing the light inside, as if sealing the two's fate. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ a/n: i have an idea for a continuation of this story, but i have agreed to another fic before i start on it, so plz be patient w/me. hopefully the idea will be out soon. thank you all my fans! i'm really glad you all liked this so much, i loved writing it! be at peace all of you and i'll see ya in my next fanfic!  
  
FIN 


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